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Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

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Old 10-24-2005 | 10:22 AM
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meissen's Avatar
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Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Interesting article, more meant for general cars...

As trucks and automobiles evolved, motorsists became accustomed to a growing variety of guages that monitor everything from vehicle speed to oil pressure.
Another gauge has joined that list and is already available in some vehicles.
Beginning this month, 20 percent of new vvehicles sold in the U.S. arre required to have a tire pressure monitoring system.
The new guideline is the beginning of a three-year phasein for tire pressure monitoring systems mandated by the Transportation Recall Enhancement Accountability and Documentation (TREAD) Act.
EnTire Solutions, LLC, headquartered in Farmington Hills, Michigan, recently hosted an informational tire pressure monitoring session in Washington, D.C. to educate members of Congress on the benefits of the systems.
The event was sponsored by Michigan Ninth District Rep. Joe Knollenberg, EnTire CEO Rich Wolfe participated in the Oct 5 demonstration.
Just an interesting tidbit, the rest of the article talks about the company. Says tat it will be required in 100% of vehicles after Sept 1, 2007. They have it in the Chrysler Town & Country that my company has as their company vehicle, it's nifty. Seems like our gauge clusters are getting filled with more and more tidbits that we really otherwise don't need.
Old 10-24-2005 | 11:16 AM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

My GS4 doesn't have one but our 4Runner does. I really do appreciate it because it makes it to where you don't have to worry if your pressure is too low or too high - I don't know about you guys but I check for that about once a month and sometimes it crosses my mind when I'm driving down the road; it's nice to not have to be able to worry about it. On the 4Runner it also monitors the spare tire's pressure so you're sure to get a properly inflated spare in case of an emergecy.

My big complaint though is that it's just a damn dummy light that comes on if the pressure is more than xx% out of whack (Forget the number). I'd REALLY prefer if it gave a # reading for each tire and just let me decide if and when to act upon it. Then again I guess that'd be an easier and less costly feature to accomplish with a nav screen or possibly something like GM's information center... all our 4Runner has in it is dummy lights. It does have an info center but only for things like temp, MPG, range, etc.. nothing maintenance-related.

I'm glad to see this.
Old 10-24-2005 | 11:23 AM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

To me this is just one more "regulation" that is going to make it harder to get vehicles we want. (Let alone another US company start up). We are going to regulate ourselves out of business except for the major major companies. Tire Pressure monitor? Jesus.

Vehicles should get their tire pressure checked at every oil change (3 Months). And it's not going to protect you from a blowout because that's an immediate release of air. OK so you get a 2 second warning. LOL

Worthless.
Old 10-24-2005 | 11:31 AM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

NHTSA issues changes to TPMS rule
Tire Business staff report©

WASHINGTON (Sept. 22, 2005) — Interested parties have until Oct. 24 to petition for reconsideration of of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) changes to the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) standard issued in April 2005.

The changes, themselves initiated by petitions to NHTSA, are mostly technical in nature, relating to methods for testing the accuracy of monitoring systems.

The Rubber Manufacturers Association (RMA) was turned down, among other things, in its request that the 35-psi minimum activation pressures for light truck tires in Load Range C, D or E. This is plainly inadequate when the tire is at maximum load and inflated to 80 psi, an RMA spokesman said.

The Specialty Market Equipment Association (SEMA) got the agency to confirm that aftermarket malfunction indicator lamps are approved for use. But SEMA was disappointed in its efforts to get NHTSA to mandate that auto makers provide independent repair shops with service information for the monitoring systems, and that the systems can be recalibrated after their first service life to accommodate tires with different recommended air pressures.

With a 30-psi tire, the first owner will receive a warning at 24 psi,” said Stuart Gosswein, director of federal government affairs for SEMA. “If that’s replaced with a 36-psi tire, the TPMS still may only issue a warning at 24 psi if the system can’t be reset.”

Mr. Gosswein said the recalibration issue would be a panel question at the upcoming SEMA trade show in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, a lawsuit to throw out the entire TPMS standard—filed by Public Citizen, the Tire Industry Association, Goodyear, Bridgestone/Firestone, Pirelli Tire L.L.C. and Cooper Tire & Rubber Co.—is still pending in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
If you're going to mandate a system, do it right.

Two problems with the mandated system as per this article. First, there is no mandate that tire pressure can be reset if you put on a different rim/tire combo. Second, for a 30psi tire a 24 psi warning is too low. IMO you should get a warning at 28 psi. I should also point out that IMO the system should display the actual pressure, not just use a warning light.

Personally, I'll check my pressure regularly with or without a system. But systems that are supposed to compensate for ignorance should be more protective, especially since the fix would be relatively easy.
Old 10-24-2005 | 11:35 AM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Originally Posted by Chrome383Z
Vehicles should get their tire pressure checked at every oil change (3 Months). And it's not going to protect you from a blowout because that's an immediate release of air. OK so you get a 2 second warning. LOL
Worthless.
It seems that most critical tire failures occur becaust the tire is running too low a pressure over an extended time. Low tire pressure leads to excess heat build up which wears down the structure over time, the end result being a blow out. So, prior warning could help if it's heeded correctly.

If you even want the inside skinny on the mandated system or tires in general ask wolfman over at f-body.com. He's a government tire engineer and has been keeping folks over there appraised of the system and it's drawbacks.
Old 10-24-2005 | 11:46 AM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Originally Posted by Joe K. 96 Zeee!!
If you're going to mandate a system, do it right.

Two problems with the mandated system as per this article. First, there is no mandate that tire pressure can be reset if you put on a different rim/tire combo. Second, for a 30psi tire a 24 psi warning is too low. IMO you should get a warning at 28 psi. I should also point out that IMO the system should display the actual pressure, not just use a warning light.

Personally, I'll check my pressure regularly with or without a system. But systems that are supposed to compensate for ignorance should be more protective, especially since the fix would be relatively easy.
Unfortunately the sensors are imbedded in the wheel, so if you put on different wheels, unless there's a way to move the sensor, you're going to have to find a way to trick the system into not reading an error code constantly... or at least that'd be my guess.

See if the system was integrated with nav I could see it being pretty easy to go in and edit the target pressure settings.
Old 10-24-2005 | 11:58 AM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Common Sense people. Common Sense.

I check my pressure probably once a month. I also glance at my tires when ever I go on any trip of length. (You can spot a low tire). The only blowout I've /ever/ had, was due to picking up a nail on the interstate and 3 seconds later I was on the wheel. I've never lost a tire due to low pressure, because I never run on low pressure.

You can try to eliminate human error (common sense) out of the equation, but then they will just ignore the dummy lights...
Old 10-24-2005 | 12:05 PM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Originally Posted by Threxx
Unfortunately the sensors are imbedded in the wheel, so if you put on different wheels, unless there's a way to move the sensor, you're going to have to find a way to trick the system into not reading an error code constantly... or at least that'd be my guess.
A few points (having owned three cars with TPS).

1. The sensors are not embedded in the wheel. They are integrated into the valve stem assembly. They are easily swappable. When the batteries die, they HAVE to be swapped, after all.

2. TPS cost about $100-150 EACH. Figure on replacing them every 5 years or so when the batteries die.

3. They are absolutely useless unless coupled with a readout of actual tire pressure on the IP (as in the Corvette--the Prowler and Viper are idiot lights only).

4. They make sense in a vehicle with runflats, since it is nearly impossible to tell if you have a flat. Beyond that, pay attention to your damn car.

Mandating them is idiotic. Just another example of cost-added, anti-competitive busybody government-nanny dogooder BS, designed to compensate for stupid, lazy customers.
Old 10-24-2005 | 12:09 PM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Are people in this country getting so lazy that they can't check their tires once a month...
Old 10-24-2005 | 12:15 PM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Originally Posted by centric
A few points (having owned three cars with TPS).

1. The sensors are not embedded in the wheel. They are integrated into the valve stem assembly. They are easily swappable. When the batteries die, they HAVE to be swapped, after all.

2. TPS cost about $100-150 EACH. Figure on replacing them every 5 years or so when the batteries die.

3. They are absolutely useless unless coupled with a readout of actual tire pressure on the IP (as in the Corvette--the Prowler and Viper are idiot lights only).

4. They make sense in a vehicle with runflats, since it is nearly impossible to tell if you have a flat. Beyond that, pay attention to your damn car.

Mandating them is idiotic. Just another example of cost-added, anti-competitive busybody government-nanny dogooder BS, designed to compensate for stupid, lazy customers.
Are you sure the battery is not servicable? I bet if the cost is that high for a brand new one people have found a way to replace the battery. They said the battery in my phone and in the ipid was not replacable, but when the next best alternative became buying a brand new one every few years, people FOUND a way to replace them.
Old 10-24-2005 | 12:18 PM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Originally Posted by Threxx
Are you sure the battery is not servicable? I bet if the cost is that high for a brand new one people have found a way to replace the battery. They said the battery in my phone and in the ipid was not replacable, but when the next best alternative became buying a brand new one every few years, people FOUND a way to replace them.
The battery is encapsulated in epoxy with the rest of the electronics. Sure, you could dig it out and try to replace it (and risk breaking the assembly), but even I'm not that cheap.
Old 10-24-2005 | 12:30 PM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Woohoo, more legislation to make the price of cars inflate for all of us...even the ones with enough sense to check their tires every so often. Some people really do "need" this however...like the woman my friend works with who complained her car was constantly pulling one way, took it into the shop, where they discovered she had put 87 pounds of air in one of her tires.
Old 10-24-2005 | 12:46 PM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

Here I check my tire pressure every other fill up at the gas station, that way I'm right there to get air if I need it. Although, that was easier to do back in my old neighborhood where air was free. The gas stations around here CHARGE for AIR.
Old 10-24-2005 | 12:56 PM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

People that can't even fill their damn tires really need someone to follow them around with a change of diapers and a warm bottle. The no cost solution is to make sure stupid dumb****s don't get ever behind the wheel of a car in the first place and that they stick to public transport.

As for charging for air... I have a good old fashioned manual foot operated pump I keep in the trunk of my car so I never have to pay for air or be screwed when the air hose at the gas station is busted. I guess it's too much effort for most people to use a manual pump though .

Last edited by Z28Marcus; 10-24-2005 at 01:08 PM.
Old 10-24-2005 | 04:58 PM
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Re: Mandatory Tire Pressure Monitoring System by fall 2007

No, people who can't fill their own tires shouldn't be driving. It isn't a right it is a privilege.



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